Anonymous wrote:I wish my kids were learning more/anything about the actual civil rights movement instead of doing this BLM week. For example, I had to teach my kids about the Montgomery bus boycott - they didn't learn about it in school. I personally support the BLM movement but it has embraced some causes that are more controversial and where I don't necessarily think a public school should be taking sides (such as what is going on with Israel/the Palestinians).

Anonymous wrote:My 6 year old came home today and I asked her about BLM activities and I got a blank stare. I asked her about black history month-nothing. There was no talk in her grade about anything related to BLM even though we got multiple emails about. I have no problem with a BLM lesson but as I suspected, DCPS has big ideas and no clue on how to implement them in a meaningful way. The kids were told to dress in black today to show “solidarity”— so superficial. Hopefully other schools have thought out lesson plans.

Anonymous wrote:Public schools shouldn't be in the business of pushing highly divisive and political movements on our children. It's no secret how law enforcement is going to he portrayed by a very left leaning group of people who know nothing about law enforcement. This is a complicated issue, but trust me, there will be nothing in the message that will require critical thinking.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: BLM has become a big supporter for Palestinians in the Middle East conflict. That is not something every family can get behind. DCPS should be aware of that and not alienate Jewish families.

If a group had ties to Jewish organizations, would you say the same thing?

are you implying that all Jewish organizations are the same?

Would I have a problem with HIAS suggesting a week of activities related to refugees? No

Would I have a problem with AIPAC suggesting a week of activities related to the Holocaust? Yes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: BLM has become a big supporter for Palestinians in the Middle East conflict. That is not something every family can get behind. DCPS should be aware of that and not alienate Jewish families.

If a group had ties to Jewish organizations, would you say the same thing?

Anonymous wrote:This is crazy. It doesn't matter that BLM may be divisive, or that it may be viewed in a "dim light" by some. If a majority of Americans didn't believe in evolution, we wouldn't keep that out of schools (anymore). Kids in school should be learning knowable things w/r/t the BLM movement. For example, they should learn about police brutality, they should learn about how a law that, on its face, doesn't appear to target one group of people, can nonetheless have racist effect either through artful legislating or skewed enforcement (e.g., the war on drugs), they should also look at what can be done to address current problems, and why these are such difficult issues to tackle (ingrained mistrust of police, institutional racism, etc.)

The point of BLM curriculum is not that all kids should be taught to adhere the BLM platform. But they should be taught what the movement is and why is exists. We NEED to move beyond a world where people can say, "all lives matter" or "blue lives matter" and just talk past each other, without recognizing what the other person is saying. And education--in school--is the place to start.

Anonymous wrote: BLM has become a big supporter for Palestinians in the Middle East conflict. That is not something every family can get behind. DCPS should be aware of that and not alienate Jewish families.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all DCPS schools doing black lives matters activities this week? Just got. Price that our elem is. I suppprt the movement but have no idea how they are framing or teaching this subject. Especially to young kids. My white already fears the police as “bad guys” based on what she hears at school even though we have taught her to seek out of officer if she is lost or needs help in an emergency. Curious why kinda of activities other schools have planned.

Our school does not, fortunately.

We keep honoring African heritage in multiple ways, but we don't let divisive politics interfere with our kids' education and future.

I'm pretty sure lots of white people in the 1950s and 1960s thought that the civil rights movement was "divisive politics."

I'm pretty sure we just had a black President elected and reelected thanks to the votes and money of millions of white Americans -- including many who see BLM as divisive.

There's much better ways to celebrate black heritage and to advance civil rights

So you think because white people voted for a half black/half white ivy educated man twice that they can assert themselves as experts about why students shouldn't learn about Trayvon Martin and police brutality in schools because they already learn about Rosa Parks and MLK? Nice.

Are you asserting that parents should not have an opinion regarding the curriculum taught in their child’s school?

Actually, yes. However, if you don't approve of your child learning about Trayvon Martin, you should have an option to have your child do something else. Sort of like sitting out sex ed topics. You sounds like segregationists in the 1950s. Sad that there are some of you that exist in what I thought of as a black-safe city like DC.

So other people can’t have opinions in your world, Mr. Orwell? How 1984 of you.

+1.

Some people obviously embrace the BLM movement. Others see it as intolerant and violent.

Net net, it's not something that belongs in public schools.

What specifically do you have an issue with as it relates to BLM in schools week?

It would be a very long list, but frankly it's irrelevant.

I shared earlier a recent survey showing how the majority of Americans view BLM in a negative light. That's all you need to know to realize that BLM is not the best anchor to discuss civil rights or black history in taxpayer-funded schools.

But, hey, be my guest and do as you deem proper. Just don't pretend to be surprised (or blame institutional racism or whatever) when your own actions alienate allies and generate backlash and make things worse.

Did you know that the majority of Americans saw the Civil Rights Movement in 1961 in a negative light? I think by a wider margin than BLM.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/04/19/black-lives-matters-and-americas-long-history-of-resisting-civil-rights-protesters/?utm_term=.5ee716c1d57d

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all DCPS schools doing black lives matters activities this week? Just got. Price that our elem is. I suppprt the movement but have no idea how they are framing or teaching this subject. Especially to young kids. My white already fears the police as “bad guys” based on what she hears at school even though we have taught her to seek out of officer if she is lost or needs help in an emergency. Curious why kinda of activities other schools have planned.

Our school does not, fortunately.

We keep honoring African heritage in multiple ways, but we don't let divisive politics interfere with our kids' education and future.

I'm pretty sure lots of white people in the 1950s and 1960s thought that the civil rights movement was "divisive politics."

I'm pretty sure we just had a black President elected and reelected thanks to the votes and money of millions of white Americans -- including many who see BLM as divisive.

There's much better ways to celebrate black heritage and to advance civil rights

So you think because white people voted for a half black/half white ivy educated man twice that they can assert themselves as experts about why students shouldn't learn about Trayvon Martin and police brutality in schools because they already learn about Rosa Parks and MLK? Nice.

Are you asserting that parents should not have an opinion regarding the curriculum taught in their child’s school?

Actually, yes. However, if you don't approve of your child learning about Trayvon Martin, you should have an option to have your child do something else. Sort of like sitting out sex ed topics. You sounds like segregationists in the 1950s. Sad that there are some of you that exist in what I thought of as a black-safe city like DC.

So other people can’t have opinions in your world, Mr. Orwell? How 1984 of you.

+1.

Some people obviously embrace the BLM movement. Others see it as intolerant and violent.

Net net, it's not something that belongs in public schools.